Cooking, Baking - Jump Start on the Holidays

We've been laying low.

I've been feeling pretty crummy the past week or so and can't wait to move on from all of it.

Even so, we've spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Last weekend we got a jump start on the LSU vs. Bama game by cooking a 'healthy' jambalaya.

 Brad cooked it the night before the game and used brown rice and turkey sausage.

 It's the first time we've tried this and definitely doesn't cook the same as it does with regular white rice.

 In fact, it took TWICE the time to cook.

I think we ate at nearly 10pm that night.

Good Times.

 It was yummy though and that's all that counts.

BTW -- how about my LSU Tigers!?

No words..

Pure awesomeness.

 This weekend, after a suggestion by a friend I decided to get a jump start on my holiday baking.

My friend makes all of her holiday cookie dough in advance making it easier and less messy on baking day.

We had an extra day off for Veterans Day so I made 4 types of cookie dough to freeze.

 The first was an oatmeal with cranberries, nuts, white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chips.

 I forgot to take pictures through the whole process but I also made peppermint cookies.

These will be super easy come December to thaw out and just slice and bake!

Quick and easy!

 Sugar cookie dough.

The recipe I used for these was weird.

I hope they turn out when it comes time.

 The last batch of dough I made was a cookie with chocolate chips, coconut and I can't remember what else.

 I love to bake during the holidays but I think this is going to make it a lot easier and save time.

My friend does this annually and I'm thinking I'm going to do the same.

Great idea or what?

 As if I didn't do enough baking Saturday today I decided to make pumpkin muffins.

 I should be posting all the recipes but I'm just too tired to dig them up.

 And, because I was bored I packaged a few of them up for neighbors and friends.

 Then..........

Brad mentioned he wanted some cookies to actually eat tonight.

So, I put my apron back on and made him some white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.

 Just what we need.

Right?

 It was dessert for the tortilla soup I made today though.

Pretty tasty.

 And, with all that, I hung my apron up until another day.

It was a low-key, quiet holiday weekend.

Something we haven't had in a while.

We're ready to take on the week which is set-up to be a big one.

Keep us in your prayers!

Tootles.